Joey Votto!!

I wanted to take this time to congratulate my favorite baseball player in the league, especially now that Griffey is retired. I am not just jumping on the band wagon and saying this because he won the national league MVP award but because he is the best player on my favorite team (Cincinnati Reds) and he is from my favorite country (Canada).

NL MVP - 2010

The reason I am a Reds fan is that the first action figure of a baseball player I ever had was of a player named Eric Davis who remains to this day as my favorite player of all time and was a true Five Tool player – minus the hitting for average part but he did win 3 gold gloves, hit 37 bombs in one year and steal 80 bases.

My All Time Favorite

Joey Votto has joined a long line of Cincinnati Red players who have previously won this award including the likes of Johnny Bench (’70, ’72), Pete Rose (’73), Joe Morgan (‘75,’76), George Forster (’77), Barry Larkin (’95), Ernie Lombardi (’38), Bucky Walters (’39), Frank McCormick (’40).

This Guy Has a Gun for an Arm

I remember hearing the story that Johnny Bench could throw the ball out of the park down the lines on a rope.

Mr. Votto also joins the ranks of Canadian born players that have won the MVP award along with Justin Morneau (’06) and Larry Walker (’97).

Two Canadian Left Handed Hitting First Baseman & MVP

By the way that Larry Walker guy – big time 5 Tool Player. The year he won the MVP he hit .366, 49 home runs, 130 RBI’s, 33 stolen bases, 12 assists from the outfield (everyone knew not to run on him) and he won one of 7 gold gloves that year. That is the definition of a Five Tool Player.

T-Spine Mobility = Outfield Assists

Joey Votto helped solidify this country as being able to produce top end major league players. I hope that many young Canadians will look up to Joey Votto as a superhero and encourage them to reach their full potential as baseball players.